Golgi Complex

The Golgi complex is an organelle found in eukaryotic cells. It
changes and packages proteins ready for export
from the cell. It consists of a stack of about six flat disks. The disks are
about 1 micrometer in diameter. The way it works is not well understood. In
plant cells the material which makes the cell wall also passes through the Golgi.

As proteins
move through the Golgi, several chemical changes occur including the
modification of carbohydrate groups. Also within the Golgi or secretory vesicles are enzymes that cut proteins at particular amino acid
positions. This often activates the secretory protein, an example being the
conversion of inactive proinsulin to active insulin by removing a series of
amino acids.

The vesicles which the Golgi produces merge
with the cell
membrane. Their contents may become part of
the membrane or they may be exported from the cell.